‘From time to time Myanmar Militaries go to different parts of Maungdaw area and talk about distributing relief. They set the time and place for relief collection for Rohingyas. When we go there to collect relief, they put us in lines and take photos of us. Sometimes they give us sacks of relief in our hands and take pictures of that moment. But when the photo sessions end they take the reliefs back. Later they give us some reliefs and drive us away.’
Bashir Ahmed, a resident of Sikderpara in Maungdaw Township said this to Humayon Masud, a reporter for the Bangla Tribune over the mobile phone. Humayon Masud contacted with him on Saturday (28 October) through Bashir’s brother Yasser Arafat.
Bashir has been staying in Dangkhali Char of Maungdaw for the past week to enter Bangladesh. Yasir Arafat came to Bangladesh a month ago. Presently, he is staying at the Balukhali Camp-1.
Bashir Ahmed told the Bangla Tribune, ‘Through these relief distribution images, Myanmar Army is trying to prove that they are helping the Rohingyas so that countries of the world will stop pressurising on Myanmar on Rohingya issue.’
He further said, ‘The reality is, they don’t give us sufficient reliefs. Though they take photos of giving us big sacks of reliefs, in reality, they give us only 1 kg to 1.5 kg rice as relief and take back the relief sacks.’
At that time Masud also talked over the mobile phone with another Rohingya named Jakir Miah who is now staying in the Dangkhali Char with Bashir to enter Bangladesh. Jakir Miah told the Bangla Tribune, ‘Myanmar Military came to our house to tell us to collect reliefs from them.
But we didn’t go there. We don’t have any intention to collect reliefs form them who were killing us just some days earlier. They are actually trying to fool the whole world by this cheating in the name of distributing reliefs.’
Jafar Alam, a resident of Buchidong area of Myanmar who has arrived Bangladesh on 27 October Told the Bangla Tribune, ‘We were prisoned in our own houses for two months. Later when the rice and other daily necessary products stored in the house ran out, we had to starve. But we did not get any relief from the Myanmar Army. We were forced to come to here.’
He said, ‘I have heard that Rohingyas who have taken shelter in the army camps, they get some rice as relief from the Myanmar Army. One of the neighbors has got relief from the army. He said me that. After taking photos of relief distribution, Myanmar army took back the reliefs. Later they give some reliefs.’
Another Rohingya Rehena gave the same complaint and said, ‘Myanmar military is not killing the male Rohingyas like they were killing before. At the same time, the torture on the Rohingya women has also lessened. The authority asked us to take shelter in the open camps of Military. But we haven’t taken shelter there. They do not give us food regularly in those camps. Sometimes they give us reliefs but the amount of relief is very poor. Many times they give us big sacks of reliefs and take photos of that moment and later they divide the sacks among us.’
After 25 August, more than 6 lakh Rohingyas have entered into Bangladesh to escape the continuous torture of the Myanmar Army. As Myanmar is facing international pressure on this issue they have started relief-work among the Rohingyas.